WELLINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri anticipates record grower returns in its strong 2025/26 season across most fruit categories.
Average per-hectare returns are expected to reach record levels for all varieties except SunGold and Organic Green, reflecting a strong start to the season and solid sales in key markets, Chief Executive Jason Te Brake said late Wednesday, quoted by a Zespri statement.
Europe has led sales with over two million trays weekly for three months, prompting Zespri to shift fruit from Asia due to weaker demand, the statement said.
Zespri is focused on finishing the season strongly and maximizing grower value as sales enter the second half of the season, Te Brake said.
Having met its 2025 goal of 4.5 billion NZ dollars (2.62 billion U.S. dollars) in sales, the company is now targeting its 2035 ambition of becoming the world's leading healthy fruit brand, he said.
Founded as a cooperative of New Zealand growers in 1997, Zespri partners with about 2,800 New Zealand and 1,500 international growers, the company said. ■
